SUBJ: dEFENCE APS EMPLOYEES - CONDITIONS OF SERVICE (COS) – op SLIPPER

A. PACMAN version two – chapter 17

SITUATION

1. THE MINDEF DECLARED SERVICE ON OP SLIPPER AS WARLIKE FROM 11 OCT 01.

MISSION

2. TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE COS FOR OP SLIPPER FOR DEF APS EMPLOYEES. THIS MESSAGE IS TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH REF A.

ELIGIBILITY

3. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE COS, DEF APS PERS MUST HAVE RECEIVED WRITTEN NOTICE TO PERFORM DUTIES:

a. IN SUPPORT OF OP SLIPPER, AND

B. BE EMPLOYED WITHIN THE OP SLIPPER SPECIFIED AREA.

4. THE OP SLIPPER SPECIFIED AREA IS bounded by the following geographical coordinates.

48 00N 81 00E

48 00N 35 00E

12 00N 35 00E

12 00N 81 00E

5. OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ALLOWANCE (OSA). OSA IS PAID FOR THE PERIOD OF DUTY (REF B, CLAUSE 17.10.3) AND IS THE SUM OF:

A. HARDSHIP RATE. FOR SERVICE INSIDE afghistan – DOLLARS FIFTY SEVEN CENTS SIXTY (AUD 57.60) AND ELSEWHERE INSIDE THE SPECIFIED AREA DOLLARS THIRTY CENTS FIFTY (AUD 30.50); AND

B. ARDUOUS DUTIES RATE. FOR WEEKDAYS DOLLARS EIGHTY NINE CENTS TWENTY (AUS 89.20) AND FOR A SATURDAY, Sunday OR PUBLIC HOLIDAY DOLLARS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGTHY ONE CENTS SIXTY (AUD 181.60).

6. TAX. DEF APS EMPLOYEES MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXEMPTION FROM AUSTRALIAN INCOME TAX UNDER SECTION 23AG OF THE ITAA. SECTION 23AG IS A GENERAL PROVISION THAT EXEMPTS CERTAIN FOREIGN EARNINGS WHERE YOU HAVE ENGAGED IN FOREIGN SERVICE FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN 91 DAYS. NOTE THAT S23AG applies for service in afghistan but may NOT APPLY TO ALL other COUNTRIES WITHIN THE specified area.

7. MEALs AND ACCN. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT MEALS AND ACCN WILL BE PROVIDED AT CWEALTH EXPENSE. APS EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN MEALS MAY QUALIFY FOR THE PAYMENT OF TA (INCLUDING INCIDENTALS) IAW NORMAL POLICY.

8. ADDITIONAL ANNUAL LEAVE. THE RATE OF ADDITIONAL ANNUAL LEAVE FOR DUTY IS THE SUM OF:

A. TWO WEEKS A YEAR FOR DUTY IN THE SPECIFIED AREA, AND

B. ONE ADDITIONAL DAYS LEAVE FOR EVERY TEN DAYS THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO OSA, TO A MAX OF 10 DAYS PER YEAR.

C. FOR EXAMPLE, 12 MTH SVC WOULD EARN 20 DAYS ADDITIONAL LEAVE.

9. RELIEF OUT OF COUNTRY TRAVEL FARES ASSISTANCE (ROCTFA):

A. PERIODS OF EMPLOYMENT OF LESS THAN SIX MONTHS DO NOT ATTRACT ROCTFA.

B. FOR PERIODS OF EMPLOYMENT OF SIX MONTHS OR LONGER, ROCTFA MAY BE APPROVED SUBJECT TO OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS AND IS PROVIDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TAKING OF AT LEAST FIVE DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE. ONE ROCTFA ENTITLEMENT MAY BE APPROVED WHERE PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT IS SIX MONTHS BUT LESS THAN NINE MONTHS.

C. THE ROCTFA DESTINATION For THOSE who wish to return to AUSTRALIA IS limited to the previous EMPLOYMENT locality. There is no offset for this entitlement.

D. For EMPLOYEES who do not wish to return to Australia the ROCTFA destination is rome. PERS may offset the cost of return travel to rome against the cost of travel to an alternative destination. The alternative destination must be suitable as a ROCTFA destination as determined by the LEAVE APPROVING AUTHORITY. ADDITIONAL ROCTFA OFFSET PROVISIONS APPLY TO MEMBERS EMPLOYED FOR TWELVE MONTHS OR LONGER, PACMAN V2-17.10.12 REFERS.

10. CLOTHING AND EQUIP. BLOCK SCALE OF CLOTHING AND SOME EQUIP IS AVAILABLE FOR ISSUE.

11. COMPENSATION AND LIFE INSURANCE:

A. APS EMPLOYEES ARE COVERED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SRCA FOR DEATH, INJURY OR ILLNESS EXCEPT WHILE ON LEAVE OUTSIDE THE MEAO.

B. EMPLOYEES CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR LIFE INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR POLICIES TAKEN OUT FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR OPERATIONAL SPT DUTY IN THE MEAO. LIMITED TO POLICIES PROVIDING COVERAGE WITHIN A WAR ZONE. FURTHER ADVICE ON LIMITS IS TO BE SOUGHT THROUGH PARENT BRANCH.

12. THIS SIGNAL AND SUBSEQUENT SIGNALS WILL BE POSTED ON THe pe page at http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac/ AND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.DEFENCE.GOV.AU/DPE/.

13. QUESTIONS. ALL QUERIES REGARDING CONDITIONS OF SERVICE ENTITLEMENTS ARE TO BE FORWARDED THROUGH PARENT BRANCH.

UNCLASSIFIED